Improvement in refrigerating x c cupboards



J. H. P0 LHAM US. Refrigerating-Cupboards.

Patented Feb. 4,1873.

AM, PHam -umaGMPf//c co. Mmosaomvsfs FRa ss Nrrn rA'rEs JAOOB H. POLHAMUS, OF ALBANY, NEW `YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN REFRIGERATING CUPBOARDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 135,44Q, dated February 4, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Bc it known that I, J AcoB H. POLHAMUS, of the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Cupboard; and I do hereby declare lthat the following is a description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this speciiication, in which- Figurel represents a perspective view of the cupboard embodying the improvements in this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same.

My invention relates to the construction of a cupboard; and consists in making the walls ofthe same, and also the doors, bottom, and top, double, and combining with the main cupbOa-rdroom a sub-compartment, which will be in open communication with the main room above, which sub-compartment is lined with zinc, and extends in a closed-up manner up to the doors oi' the cupboard, and the whole space ot' the cupboard is divided by open-worked shelves, and the whole so constructed and arranged as to render the cupboard-room less susceptible to the changes of the temperature without, and capable in summer months of receiving ice for chilling the said sub-compartment and through the open-work shelves to reduce the temperature of the spaces between the shelves in the main room above-the object of this invention being to render the cupboard adapted -in all seasons of the year for receiving and preserving the several varieties of articles of food, Whether they be farinaceous compounds, such as bread, cake, pies, or pud dings, or raw or cooked vegetables, meats, and the like, without being' materially alected by the temperature of the room without, and in summer to enable a housekeeper to use the sub-compartment for holding ice in lieu of an ice-chest or refrigerator, and thereby to variously chill the several parts and render the shelf-spaces better adapted to preserve perishable articles from spoiling.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe it in reference to the drawing and the letters of reference marked thereon, the same letters indicating like parts.

In the drawing, A A A A represent the cupboard, which is made with a height of about ve feet, and in the usual proportions in width and depth. Instead ofthe doors B B eX- tending down to the bottom of the cupboard, as is usual, the said doors extend to about fteen inches from the bottom, and that usual door-space is closed up, so as to form a sort of-sub-compartment, C, capable of receiving and preserving from sight any article placed therein. The walls of the said cupboard, also the top and bottom and the doors, are made double or lined with zinc, or both, so as to render the said walls non-conducting in their nature. The main body D D D of the cupboard-room is provided with slatted or openwork shelves E E, supported by proper cleats a a, secured to the sides of the cupboard.

The cupboard can be made with any degree of ornamentation, paneling, and the like, as may be desired, and have its capacity for holding increased by extending its width, and decreased' by contracting the same; butin no case should its height be materially lessened.

The cupboard thus constructed is rendered far less susceptible of having its room within affected by the changes of temperature, whether in cold or warm weather; and in summer its lower part can be used as a receptacle forice, which can be preserved in the sub-compartment, and used to variously chill the several parts of the cupboard-room 5 and when the said sub-compartment is made to hold ice itwill as effectually preserve any meats, milk, and the like asarefrigerator orice-chest,whilc theupper shelve-rooms will be so variously chilled and have sufficiently-reduced temperatures as will be properly adapted for cooked vegetables,

raw and preserved fruits, and food made from t'arinaceous compounds, such as bread, cake, and other articles oi' like nature. A The height of the upper shelves being so great from the ice in the sub-compartment, it is seen that vapor arising from the liquidation of the ice below will not, on account of the cold settling such vapors, affect the articles on the upper shelves; and the bread, cake, and the like on such shelves will not become watersoaked or soggy, as they would were they held in close contact or proximity with the ice, as in refrigera tors.

By the improvements in this invention the cupboard is made to have in i-ts chamber a greater uniformity of temperature, and be made in warm Weather to act as a refrigerator in its 'lower portion, and thereby enable zt family to provided with covers, if desired, to close the Same.

Having described my invention, what I claim, andldesire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

The double-Walled cupboard, constructed as described, provided Vat its base with the icechamber, as and for the purpose specied.

JACOB H. POLHAMUS.

Witnesses:

CI-IAs. J. 'SELKRIQ GEO. A. THOMPSON. 

